The Cathedral of Magic: My First Trip to Disneyland Part 7

An amazing first day at Disneyland can only be capped off with an incredible night of over-the-top fireworks at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and a dazzling presentation of the ultimate Fantasmic. There is so much I could say but I think the photos will do plenty of talking for me. It was an incredible evening and I hope you get to enjoy it with me now. So click past the break and if you are just joining us don’t forget to check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and Part 6 of this memorable first trip to Disneyland.

The open-aired Mad Tea Party just looks and feels amazing at night.

This is a bittersweet moment. I got to see the classic bobsleds but didn't get to ride because it was under refurbishment :/My first fireworks at Disneyland Park! I'm excited, very excited!Ooooo.....

Doesn't this look cool? Oh it's just getting started.

Lighting up the sky over Disneyland...This reminds me of Wishes!

A Not-So-Hidden-Mickey Firework!Finale time...What can I add to this? I'm loving these fireworks.

The show is over but the best part is this shot just at the end of the show. Sure it's not as tall as Cinderella's Castle but don't tell me it is not still brilliantly beautiful and charming.From one spectacular to another...Sitting and waiting for the show to start...It is a beautiful scene as people wait along the river even atop the bridge over Pirates of the Caribbean.But these are the best SEATS in the house!"I-M-A-G-I-N-A-T-I-O-N..."Hey it is Sparkler Mickey!!!My first time seeing the Pinocchio Scene!Oh wow, something tells me this is going to be impressive!Fantastic Fantasmic Pirate Ship Mayhem featuring Peter Pan, Hook and the Gang!Peter being forced to Walk the Plank!Jolly Roger! This performance includes areal acrobatics atop the Ship's Masts.Tick...Tock...Croc...Peter Pan & Hook Duel at perilous heights. Did I mention this is awesome!But now it is time for a royal dance...The Little Mermaid FantasmicOk, Disneyland's Fantasmic Dragon is so much better than WDW's....But have no fear, hero Mickey is here!

This is just Classic.From Darkness To Light! The Mark Twain approaches in the night.Steam Boat Mickey and the rest of the classic Disney Characters...

Fantasmic FinaleYeah Fantasmic is a can't miss!My amazing first day in Disneyland is coming to an end but before going back to the hotel I've got to snap a few night photos of Disneyland...beginning with Astro Orbiter.I love our Star Tours in WDW but this sign is ridiculously cool at night!

Buzz Lightyear Astro BlastersDisney comes to life at night, even in its merchandise carts...

What an incredible sight as we wind down the night...A quick look at Disney's California Adventure's new entrance at night. I can't wait to see this night view with Carthay Circle Theater lit in the background. Should be a sight to see.

I knew that bit of hyperbole would get me into trouble 😉 In all seriousness I did pay heavy attention to the differences of both Disneyland and WDW on my visit and I’ve tried to reference them and give my opinion on those differences as much as possible. In the case of Fantasmic, I agree with you that WDW’s version holds several advantages and by sheer grandiose alone one could say the WDW version is the better one. There is no doubt the custom built mountain is great and I appreciate the seating vs Disneyland. And there ARE countless other improvements in the WDW version including the projections on the water and even some of the clips that they show which have some variance between the two versions if I remember correctly.

Still, I feel the Disneyland version has some serious victories if you were to tally it up. The fact that it is located in Disneyland feels amazing and though I love Disney’a Hollywood Studios imagine if Fantasmic was the final send off to your night at the Magic Kingdom. Fantasmic at Disneyland feels intimate as you sit around the river. Then the actual show itself has spectacular show scenes. There is nothing to compare the Peter Pan Scene with in the WDW version. Seeing the Mark Twain as the stage for Steamboat Willie was spectacular and makes our imitation well feel like an imitation that never matches the sense of place. Although our Dragon does move and rise up, it doesn’t have the look and feel of theirs. The Pinocchio scene is nothing out of this world but it’s Pinocchio!

By no means am I saying WDW’s version is a slouch but I do think Disneyland has some very appreciable differences that I think make it the better of the two. But who knows I might change my mind the next time I see WDW’s Fantasmic. (Sorry for the long-winded post…I do that sometimes…) Any other reasons you like the WDW version better?